Socket attachment



' the base of any electrical attachment or deatented Nov. 2v, 1926.v

UNITED STATES PATENT THEODORE B. H. VOGT, OF PASSAIC, NEW JERSEY, ASSIGNOR TO THE BRYANT ELEC- TRIC COMPANY, OIF BRIDGEPORT, CONNECTICUT, A CORPORATION OF CONNECTI- CUT.

SOCKET ATTACHMENT.

Application led July 6, 1921. Serial No. 482,730.

This invention`lrelates to a socket attachment for electric light fixtures and has for an object the provision of a pull-chain socket adapted to be inserted in a key socketpto convert the same to a pull-chain type.

A further object resides in the provision of a socket as above mentioned, which is exceedingly compact, strong and occupies much less space than sockets heretofore provided for similar purposes.

A further object resides in the provision of means whereby the socket is condensed in size and ot which the economy of manufacture is greatly decreased.

AL still further object resides in a con'- struction and arrangementof parts hereinafter described and claimed and shown in the accompanying drawing.

The invention in general comprises a socket of a pull-chain type to be inserted in the key socket to convert the same. Ordinarily a socket having a pull chain mechanism is exceedingly bulky and. cumbersome and rather expensive to make. However, in accordance with my invention, I provide a pull-chain mechanism disposed within the socket so that the socket takes up very little, if any, more space than an ordinary convertible.

The invention is illustrated in the drawings of which- Figure 1 is a side view of the socket.

Figure 2 is a plan view of a socket.

Figure 3 is a vertical longitudinal section.

Figures 4, 5, 6, 7 and 8 are detail views of various part's of the pull-chain mechanism.

Figure 9 is a lan view of the elements shown in Figure with the elements shown in Figure 8 removed.

Figure 10 is a view taken on the llne 10-10 of Figure 3, looking downward.

Figure 11 is a side View of the upper portion oi the socket.

Figure 12 is a view taken on the line 10-10 ot Figure 3 looking upward.

As shown in the drawings the preferred form of my invention comprises a vsocket member having the usual hollow insulatig body portion 1, within which is vdisposed the usual threaded shell 2 adapted to receive vice, such as a lamp. In this instance the shell 2 extends upwardly beyond the upper edge of the body portion 1 a suitable distance, and thereby is adapted to act as a' tion 3 of the shell may, therefore, be secured into any ordinaryv socket to transfer the electrical connections of that socket to the socket formed by the lower end of the shell 2.

Tt is the purpose of my invention to dispose within the upper end of the shell 2 a pull-chain apparatus of any suitable type so that this attachment when plugged into an ordinary key socket will permit the conversion of the combined apparatus from a key type to a pull-chain type while at the same time the attachment occupies no more space than the ordinary adapter. Y

To this end I dispose within the upper end?) of the shell 2 a plug of insulating material 4 having a central aperture 5. To a 'lower face of this plug 4 T attach, by suitable means, such as screws 6, aiiat ring 7 of insulating material. This ring has an inner central recess 8 which is flared downwardly as at 9. On the upper` surface of the plug 4 I dispose a cup shaped member 10 having an annular flanged portion 11 within which a recess 12 i's formed. Within this recess 12 on the top of the lug 4 is disposed auannular ring 13. This ring is made of insulating material and is provided with a recess 14 in its lower :tace and an aperture 15. An offset portion 16 on this ring is provided with a projecting lug 17 to which one end of a chain 18 is attached. This chain eX- tends downwardly through a groove 19 in the plug 4 and a groove 20 in the ring 7. These grooves are, of course, properly aligned. The end of the groove 20 is aligned with a vsuitable aperture in the body portion 1 so that the free end of the chain 21 extends out from the body portion 1 to be operated by the hand of the person using the device.

A pin 22 is disposed in the recess 14, this recess normally facing downward. This pin 22 is adapted `to engage with a hooked end 23 of a spring 24. This spring is coiled around the screw shaft 25. The other end of the spring connects to a contact platel 8, and is held therein by a nut 28 on the shaft 25. The other end of the shaft is embedded in a recess 29 in the top of the cup shaped portion 10, which .recess may be filled with insulating material such as 30. The plug 4 and the cup shaped receptacle 10 are held in the upper end 3 of the shell 2 by any suitable means, such as screws 31. The upper surface of the ring 13 is covered by a metallic contact platel 32. This plate is provided with a plurality of raised cam like finger portions 33. These fingers 33 are adapted, in the rotation of the ring 13, un.

der the action ofthe chain 18, to engage with cooperating edges 34 of a rotatable contact plate 35. This contact plate is `provided with an aperture 36 and loosely embraces the shaft 25 above the ring 13. This contact plate is provided with upwardly and downwardly extending contact iingers 37. When the ring 13 is moved in one direction by pulling downwardly on the chain, the contact plate 35 is moved. When the chain, however, is released the spring 24, the end 23 of which engages the pin 22, forces the'ring 13 back to a normal position. In this backward movement the cam fingers 33 slide under the engaging portions 34 of the plate 35, whereby. the plate 35 does not move on the reces-v sional movement of the ring 13.

v The contact lingers 37 on the plate 35, in one position of the plate, are adapted to make contact with terminal portions 38 turned under on the inner face of the recess 9. 'These terminal portions are the end portions of the integral contact strip '39; the' main body portion of the strip 3 9 extends through to the upper central face of the cup like receptacle 10 and forms-a central contact surface adapted to make contact with Vany suitable terminal within the socket into which the plug portion'3 of the shell 2 is inserted.

It will thus beobserved that I have provided a device comprising the insulating body portion l, a socket shell 2 within said bod.' portion, said shell extending beyond the body portion on one side thereof to form a plug portion adapted to be inserted into any other socket. Furthermore, it will be observed that within the plug portion 3 of the shell 2 I have disposed all of the necessary circuit connections as well as a complete pull-chain apparatus. Therefore, when this attachment is plugged into an ordinary key socket, it v'does not take up any more spacethan an ordinary attachment and yet converts the socket into which it is inserted to a pull-chain socket. This economy of' space with the consequentv economy of manufacture is an vexceedingly important one when the cumbersome and expensive attachments hitherto used for this purpose are observed, v

l/Vhat I claim is An electric fitting comprising plug and socket areas, the plug area having a screw shell contact not exceeding standard dimensions, an insulating button at the entry end of said plug, a center contact carried by said button, an insulating member spaced from the button to aiord a. switch chamber wholly within the screw shell contact of the plug, a switch arranged within said chamber for controlling the connection between certain of the contacts of the plug and socket areas, said switch comprising a spindle substantially coaxial with the plug area, a rotary switch member on said spindle, a ratchet member for operating the switch member, and a pull member connected to said ratchet member and passing laterally from said fitting between the plug and socket areas.

2. An electric fitting comprising plug and socket areas, the plug area having a screw shell contact not exceeding standard dimensions, an insulating button at the entry end of said plug, a center contact carried by said button, an insulating member spaced from the button to aii'ord a switch chamber wholly within the screw shell contact of the plug, a switch arrangedzwithin said chamber for controlling the connection between certain of the contacts of the plug and socket areas, said switch comprising a spindle substantially coaxial with the plug area, a rotary switch member on said spindle, a ratchet member for operating the switch member, and a pull membernconnected to said ratchet member and passing laterally from said ytitting between the plug and gether with a spirally inclined guideway for the pull'member within the fitting.

THEODORE B. H. VOGT.

socket areas, to- 

